Physical fitness has become a high priority in today's world. New fitness devices and methods to increase the benefits of each workout are, therefore, in high demand. Weighted athletic shoes and ankle weights are thought to enhance leg strength and cardiovascular performance by increasing the resistance to a wearer's movement while exercising. The same devices are effective even when the wearer is simply walking. Accordingly, weighted athletic shoes and ankle weights have been available for years.
Existing weighted athletic shoes and ankle weights, however, have several disadvantages that are solved by the present invention. The following patents exemplify the sorts of devices that are well known in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,114,982 (1963) to McGowan discloses a removable side pouch that snaps onto the side of an athletic shoe. The side pouch contains one or more pockets for receiving weights for athletic training. The present invention slips under a shoe's laces, and does not require any permanent alteration, such as mounting side snaps, for use with a shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,432 (1984) to Stempski discloses an athletic shoe having removable weights for training. A series of hook and loop material toe and side pockets hold the weights to the shoe. The present invention slips easily under a conventional shoe's laces and does not require pockets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,743 (1988) to Roehrig, Jr. discloses an athletic shoe having removable weights for training. Weights are inserted into a pocket that is fixed to the shoe collar that encircles the wearer's ankle. The present invention slips under a shoe's laces, and does not require special shoe construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,032 (1992) to Dohner discloses an ankle belt having weight pockets. The present invention is not an ankle weight.
U.S. Pat No. 5,231,776 (1993) to Wagner et al. discloses an integrally weighted athletic shoe having spherical weights evenly distributed throughout the shoe's inner sole. The present invention is not permanently fixed to a shoe and is, therefore, removable and adjustable. Furthermore, the present invention allows weight to be located in strategic areas on the foot rather than being uniformly distributed along the length of the shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 205,594 (1966) to McCrory discloses an ornamental design for an ankle wrap having weight pockets. The present invention is not an ankle weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,898 (1967) to McCrory discloses an ankle wrap having weight pockets. The present invention is not an ankle weight.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 336,971 (1993) to Flisek discloses an ornamental design for a training shoe with over the lace removable weights. Apparently a hook and loop type fastener holds the weights above the shoe laces. The present invention fits under a shoe's laces, and does not require a hook and loop fastener.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,515,665 (1924) to Eck discloses a toe weight that is screwed to the front sole of an athletic shoe. The present invention is implemented without any alteration to a shoe. The present invention slides under a shoe's laces rather than attaching to the sole.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,548,172 (1925) to Redden discloses a shoe having an ankle brace in its upper portion. The present invention is not an ankle brace.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,662,677 (1950) to Perry discloses a pair of golf shoes with side pockets for holding golf tees. The present invention does not use pockets, nor hold golf tees.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,610 (1967) to Biggs, Jr. et al. discloses a weighted gaiter or spat. The present invention is a weight for a shoe, not for a gaiter or spat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,652 (1968) to Tarbox discloses a contoured ankle weight. The lower edge of the ankle weight can be secured to an athletic shoe by threading lace 26 through hook 24. The present invention is not an ankle weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,072 (1982) to White discloses a leg weight apparatus for exercising while seated on a chair. The present invention is used with shoe laces, and does not require a chair for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,183 (1991) to Winston discloses an ankle weight strap. The present invention is a shoe weight, not an ankle weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,016 (1992) to DiVito discloses a flexible pocket that mounts on shoe laces for carrying items such as keys. The present invention does not use pockets, rather, it slides under a shoe's laces.
U.K. Pat. No. 2,139,103 (1983) to Rogers discloses a side pocket for removably holding training weights to an athletic shoe. The shoe laces fasten to the leading edge of the side pocket and rear strap secures the rear of the pocket. The present invention is not mounted on the side of the shoe, nor does it require pockets for securing training weights.
The present invention solves many problems that are not addressed by the cited prior art. Conventional ankle weights do not allow weights to be placed at strategic locations, thereby working different muscle groups. Furthermore, because ankle weights necessarily encircle the ankle, the movement (the length of the moment arm) around the ankle pivot is zero; therefore, development of the muscle groups that rotate the ankle are not enhanced. Ankle weights can also lead to calluses and injury to a wearer by contacting the wearer's ankle during training. Ankle weights are bulky and tend to be aesthetically unappealing.
The present invention slips under a shoe's lace. The present invention can, therefore, be placed at strategic positions, from the toe to near the ankle, to stimulate specific muscle groups. The present invention enhances development of ankle rotating muscle groups. The present invention does not directly contact a wearer, thereby minimizing injury and calluses. The present invention is compact and aesthetically appealing.
The majority of the above described shoe weights require permanent alteration to the shoe and/or use pockets. The prior art designs tend to be visually unappealing, bulky, and do not allow weight to be strategically placed to work different muscle groups. The present invention does not require shoe alteration or use pockets. The present invention is, therefore, less bulky, less likely to wear out, compact and visually appealing. Furthermore, the location of the present invention can be varied from toe to near the ankle to stimulate development of predetermined muscle groups.